Film Review: The Family (2013)

'The Family' (UK Release: 22 Nov '13) // Words: Lauren Johnson-Ginn

We’ve grown reluctantly accustomed to seeing Robert De Niro starring in half-baked comedies in recent years, but 'The Family' heralds a (sort of) return to form for the actor, placing him in familiar hard-man mafia territory. Directed by Luc Besson, perhaps best known for 'Leon' and 'The Fifth Element', this dark comedy casts De Niro as patriarch of the formerly Brooklyn-based Manzoni family, on the run in provincial Normandy under the watchful eye of the FBI’s witness protection scheme.

Listen: Fight Like Apes - Carousel [Album Preview]

Words: Saam Das

I'm generally a tad sceptical about crowdfunding but when riotous synth poppers Fight Like Apes opted for the method to fund their forthcoming third album, I threw my money at the computer. I got emailed a brief update the other day about the record but wasn't expecting to hear a track from it so soon. Have a listen to the topsy turvy brilliance of 'Carousel' below.

Mini-Reviews: London Korean Film Festival 2013

London Korean Film Festival (Various venues, 7-15 Nov '13) // Words: Maxamillian John

The 2013 London Korean Film Festival passed by earlier this month, and we attended some of the festival's screenings - including Kim Sung-su's stylish thriller, 'Flu', which is also out now in UK cinemas. Here's a brief round up of some of the other films we caught at this year's fest, namely 'Boomerang Family', 'Moss', and 'How To Use Guys With Secret Tips'.

Surfacing: LSA [New Band]

Words: Saam Das // Photo: Alex Thirlwell

You might recognise Will White from his work as one sixth (UPDATE: Will emailed to say that he was a touring member, rather than an official member) of The Maccabees - alongside brothers Felix and Hugo - and he returns with a new side project, following 2011's aborted Blanc. The rambunctious 'More Or Less Equal' is the first material we've heard from LSA, aka Love Stays Alive. Listen below.

Telly Text #23: Gogglebox + Devious Maids

Words: Jordan Andrew

'Gogglebox'

Film Review: Flu (2013)

'Flu' (UK Release: 22 Nov '13) // Words: Maxamillian John

Out this weekend is the Korean blockbuster 'Flu'. Kim Sung-su’s stylish thriller is only superficially similar to American epidemic disaster movie, such as 'Contagion', and the recent trend to throw an epidemic spin on zombie films, such as 'World War Z' and 'The Crazies'.

Listen: Death Vessel - Ilsa Drown feat. Jonsi [Album Preview]

Words: Saam Das

Whenever I hear that Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi is involved in a project, I'm pretty much immediately interested. He's teamed up with Joel Thibodeau, aka Death Vessel, on 'Ilsa Drown' - the first taste of Thibodeau's new album, 'Island Intervals', out in February through Sub Pop. Listen to the entrancing folk of 'Ilsa Drown' below.

Film Review: Parkland (2013)

'Parkland' (UK Release: 22 Nov '13) // Words: Saam Das

Fifty years on from President John F Kennedy's assassination in a Dallas motorcade, conspiracy theories continue regarding the nature and motive of his murder. Oliver Stone's controversial 1993 pseudo-investigation 'JFK' remains the most prominent such offering, and perhaps the most influential film about Kennedy. Ensemble drama 'Parkland' is seeking to change that, offering a more grounded and different perspective on the assassination.

Listen: MTNS - Salvage [New Single]

Words: Saam Das

The first/last time I wrote about Brisbane's MTNS, I noted that the Aussies were sort of "getting stuffed in the cricket". Oh how little changes. To be fair, they seem to be putting up more a tad more of a fight than during the summer. In contrast, MTNS seem to be going from strength to strength - new single 'Salvage' perhaps even better than their dreamy opening number, 'Lost Track Of Time'.

Film Review: Blue Is The Warmest Colour (2013)

'Blue Is The Warmest Colour' (UK Release: 22 Nov '13) // Words: Lauren Johnson-Ginn

Perhaps one of the most stir-causing, feather-ruffling films of the year so far, 'Blue Is The Warmest Colour' scooped the Palme D’Or at Cannes – becoming the first title ever to be awarded the prize to both director Abdellatif Kechiche and the two lead actresses, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux. Discussion of the film has been (unsurprisingly) dominated by its unusually long and explicit sex scenes, but – strangely enough – these are the least interesting component of this piercingly intense love story.

Listen: The Night VI - I Would Die 4 U [Prince Cover]

Words: Saam Das // Photo: Cat Stevens

I think there's pretty much three camps when it comes to covers: Type A - who consider many such acts almost sacrilegious / Type B - who are generally apathetic about the idea and execution of a cover / Type C - those who often enjoy a revised edition to an original, even if it sometimes approaches karaoke. I'd largely pop myself in the Type C bracket, and I'm very much enjoying The Night VI's version of 'I Would Die 4 U' by Prince.

Film Review: Don Jon (2013)

'Don Jon' (UK Release: 15 November '13) // Words: Raman K

Twenty minutes in to 'Don Jon', I sensed the audience had divided into two. There were those who could already appreciate the humour as bruising and witty satire. However, the other half were too preoccupied by their revulsion of the Jersey Shore inspired character “Don” Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his vividly descriptive passion for “DEM TITTIES” and “DAT ASS”. However, by the closing credits, you can only applaud 'Don Jon' as a bold directorial and screenwriting debut from Gordon-Levitt.

Festival Review: A Carefully Planned Festival 2013

A Carefully Planned Festival (Manchester, 19-20 Oct '13) // Saam Das

Basking in the glory of a first class train ride up to Manchester from London - only four pounds more than standard fare, madness - I was greeted by rain as soon as I arrived at Manchester Piccadilly. Welcome to the North. And welcome to the third edition of A Carefully Planned Festival. Here's how we got on with our first visit to the festival, and hopefully not our last.

DVD Digest #9: The Internship + The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey + Pacific Rim

Words: Maxamillian John

I want to tell you about the latest DVD releases but I'm having trouble finding a good place to start. Because 'good' is in very short supply this week. While I may not have anything to recommend, don't leave because I have a lot of warnings. This column might save you up to three hours of your life.

Download: Kit Richardson - All Heart No Brains

Words: Saam Das

I always keep an eye out for upcoming releases on the Cool 4 Cats Label, who have been putting out a series of downloads for a while now - we wrote about their release of 'Sleepwalker' by Mercy back in January 2012. Their latest artist is London-based experimental piano popstar Kit Richardson, with the hyperactive 'All Heart No Brains'.

Telly Text #22: The Face UK + Body Of Proof

Words: Jordan Andrew

'The Face UK'

I've never been one to understand modelling, I don't get why people need to be paid so much to walk up and down a runway. People like Naomi Campbell have made a living out of walking up and down but she is now turning herself into a reality television icon with her new show 'The Face'.

Buried Treasures: Humble Pie - Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore

Humble Pie - Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore (UK Release: 28 Oct '13) // Words: Simon Opie

In the 1970s, live albums became highly popular and hence profitable. So labels started recording almost everything by way of live performance, although much has leaked out over the years and is often of questionable quality. Back then, rock music still retained some common roots with jazz – bands played more than one set per night – and both genres exploited the live album as a way of capturing the dynamic quality of the music that often did not come across in studio recordings.

Preview: London Jazz Festival 2013

London Jazz Festival (15-24 Nov '13) // Words: Alex Kidd

The London Jazz Festival began in 1992, and has grown in size and stature to become the city's biggest widescale music festival and one of the largest celebrations of jazz in the world. The LJF may seem like something of a leftfield choice to cover on FADED GLAMOUR but we like bringing good new things to good people like yourself so have picked out a few choice gigs and films on offer at the fest. Here are our top six event recommendations:

Surfacing: FEMME [New Act]

Words: Saam Das

I've been waiting to post about Laura Bettinson's new wonky pop (remember that?) guise FEMME, having written positive things about her collaboration with Nigel Godrich and Joey Waronker under the Ultraísta name. Indeed, I also quite enjoyed her work as Dimbleby & Capper but it took listening to new single 'Heartbeat' to convince me to get firmly back on the Bettinson bandwagon.

Film Review: Gravity (2013)

'Gravity' (UK Release: 8 Nov '13) // Words: Saam Das

Following its opening in the US earlier this year, sci-fi thriller 'Gravity' posted a record high box office taking for October. Finally, it appears that audiences are responding to the tremendous talent of filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, who returned with his latest film five years after the incredible dystopian drama 'Children Of Men'. Critics lapped up his return but does 'Gravity' truly live up to the hype?

Listen: Only Girl - Perfect High [New Single]

Words: Saam Das

Ellen Murphy seems to be on a bit of a roll, continuing her rich collaboration with Zero 7's Henry Binns on 'Perfect High'. The track follows 'Mountain', a beautiful tribute to Murphy/Only Girl's fiancé who recently recovered from a traumatic brain injury. 'Perfect High' shares some of the RnB influence of that track, have a listen below.

Listen: Then Thickens - Restart Your Heart [New Single]

Words: Saam Das

I must admit that I've been rather despondent with my musical listening this evening, trudging through our raft of demo submissions and PR plugs. Even The Killers doing 'When You Were Young' on 'Later With Jools Holland' failed me. So I wasn't expecting to enjoy the new single from Lancashire six-piece Then Thickens but 'Restart Your Heart' brought back nostalgic memories of both Foo Fighters and Biffy Clyro at their hearty best.

Surfacing: We The Wild [New Band]

Words: Saam Das

I wasn't overly familiar with Ant West and Casey Roarty's work in their previous band Futures but their new outfit, We The Wild, sound incredibly promising. Barring their curious decision to choose a band name already held by an ongoing Portland band, we're really looking forward to their forthcoming debut EP and more of their dark anthemic pop.

DVD Digest #8: This Is The End + Admission + Trap For Cinderella

Words: Maxamillian John

If the storm last week kept you indoors then you probably want to go outside now and frolic in the dying embers of autumn. But don't, it's a trap! The outside is actually terrible. My review of the Outside would just read - wet, overcrowded, insects attack randomly, and pizza is only available in specific areas. 3/10. Instead, why not stay indoors with one of this week's DVD releases? Let's have a look at them!

Month In Reviews: October 2013

Somehow, it's November already. It's basically Christmas. But it's also just been Halloween. Which incidentally was seemingly won by Patrick Stewart for his whimsical "lobster in bath" costume, as posted to his Twitter page. Elsewhere, we've been busy at the BFI London Film Festival but have also packed in plenty of music, DVD, and TV reviews as well. Check them out below.

Film Review: Drinking Buddies (2013)

'Drinking Buddies' (UK Release: 1 Nov '13) // Words: Saam Das

There's a naturalism to Joe Swanberg's latest feature 'Drinking Buddies' that is rarely captured on-screen, let alone in what is ostensibly a romantic-comedy. Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) work together at a small Chicago brewery, sharing their lunches, jokes, and generally flirting away. Pretty normal behaviour - except they're both in other relationships, with Ron Livingston's Chris and Anna Kendrick's Jill respectively.